Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-04-21

the famine ana 1auSue endured on tnot
long journey" his only desire was ''a
+, long rest and sleep" and after he had
written his book. Through the Dark
| Continent" he determined to indulge
in the .'luxury of lounging." But a
short trial of the most approved Paris
ian plan convinced him. he says. that it
was productive of nothing but loss Of
time, health and usefulness" He tried
famous seaside resorts with no better
results, and finally went to Switzcr-
land. where by INDUCING in plenty of
walking and climbing he reeained his
health and spirits in three weeks.
with restored health. liberty be-
came insipid and joyless. and the lux
ury of loung:ug unbearable. and he
was soon in negotiation with commits
sioners of King Leopold for another
trip to the Congo. and the accomplish
ment of one of the most difficult feats
ever attempted in Africa, the building
of highway around the cataracts of
the Lower Congo to Stanley Pool.
The object for which he came to
America was to add to his financial
resources. He had planned lecture
tour in America and Australia, which
would have proved very rcmunerative.
if Belgium's King had not interrupted
it at the very beginning with peremp-
tory order to return at once, which
Stanley, though a sort of despot HIM
self, would not venture to disobey.
His is the kind of life which enforces
the necessity of obedience. He was
receiving two hundred and fifty dol
lars q lecture, and drawing large
audiences.
On arriving on the other side he re-
ceived a cable dispatch Offering him
forty thousand dollars to return and
fill a list of engagements. His style of
speaking is very simple and very en-
tertaining. He uses no notes. He makes
no pretense to literary finish. He
has history to give full of an
ecdote and adventure. and he gives it
clearly. Auently, impressively. He is a
good story-teller, and has the feminine
art of repeating the questions and an
swers of a conversation illustrative of
some point of experience, instead of
employing direct statement of the re-
suit of it. He appreciates the impor-
lance of the minor touches in making
a lifelike picture. The quick wit and
shrewdness, which so often relieved
desperate situations among the warrpg
tribes of Africa, he cannot conceal.
He tells with splendid effect how,
when he had put together the vessel
which he had transported in pieces on
the shoulders of carriers from the coast
to Victoria Nyanza to be used in cir
cumnavigating that great lake, his
men, the Wangwana, stood round in
awe and amazement, and could not be
induced to 90 on board the floating
wonder. Addressing them he called
for volunteers to GO with him on the
vessel to help navigate her. but he got
no response. Finally turning to one
who stood near him he said:
Wont you go?'
VII, no.
"Why?''
when l look at the water it goes
boo. boo, boo, and my heart 1t goes boo,
boo, boo.'
At one place on the lake SO many of
the natives, in their canoes. gathered
around the craft containing the strange
white man that he could not get away.
He could not drive them off; but he
used little ruse most effectively.
Taking his revolver he fired several
shots in quick succession into the
water and instantly the canoes were
emptied, every man plunging headlong
into the lake, like SO many frogs, to
find the bullets.
His courage, which nothing could !
daunt. his tact, his patience and his
sc,upulous honesty in dealing with the
natives saved him and his expedition
scores of times from disaster.
There We're some very trying mo-
ments in his trip through the Dark
Continent, when the least sign of wa
vering or fear would have cost him
his life. On his memorable trip down
the Congo he had battles every day |
with the furious savages, from the
point where he embarked almost down |
to Stanley Pool. When he reached
the Aruwimi, on that dreadful pass
age, he could count no fewer than
twenty-eight desperate combats he
had fought "with the insensate flu
ries of Savageland," and he felt like a
hard-pressed stag, almost hopeless of
escape. He writes:
I'VE also had labored strenuously
through ranks upon ranks of savages,
overa score of fiOtillas, had en-
dured persistent attacks. night and day.
while struggling through them; had re-
sorted to all modes of defense, and
yet at every curve of this fearful river
the yells of the savages broke loud on
our ears; the snake-like canoes darted
forward impetuously to the attack,
while the drums and horns and shouts
raised a fierce and deafening uproar.
We were becoming exhausted. Yet we